How Mixologists Are Making Mocktails Cool

A few weeks prior to New Year's Eve, I attended an event where all the beverages being served were... mocktails.

As I sipped on several, I found myself wondering if I could realistically cut booze out of my life completely. I never really liked drinking to begin with — it's always been more of a social activity to make me feel slightly less awkward in a room full of strangers. Upon doing some research, I discovered that there's no such thing as a mocktail bar, but a select few places have mocktails on the menu.

Selamat Pagi

This Balinese spot comes from the owners of Van Leeuwen. The small casual space is lined with palm leaf wallpaper, natural wood & paper lantern lights. The menu here is vegetable-heavy and packed with unexpected and exciting flavors that are unlike anywhere you typically eat (unless you go to Bali often, which I don't). The menu starts with deviled eggs and prawn crackers with three sambals (papaya-chili-shallot-lime, tomato-chili-shallot, and shallot-kaffir-lemongrass-chili). Entrees range from the classic egg-topped fried rice (nasi goreng) and tasty, tender beef curry (rendang), to a market fish curry and tamarind-glazed tempeh. Weekend brunch is also super satisfying with additions like an ayam goreng fried chicken sandwich topped with pickled slaw & kaffir aioli.

Ask Jean: How Healthy Is Turmeric?

Sipping a cool, bracing Selamat Pagi tonic along with your perfectly-prepared sambal-scrambled eggs and toasted-coconut kale salad is easy enough, but when you’re the one preparing said tonic on a regular basis, your fingers—unless you’re more fastidious than I—end up stained a neon yellowish-orange from chopping and peeling turmeric (for one who already lags in the manicure-maintenance department, this is a particularly grim look). The alternative, powdered turmeric, is irksomely grainy unless heated and sautéed into submission—say, in a curry.

Selamat Pagi Brings Bali to Brooklyn

Tucked in Greenpoint on Driggs Ave, Selamat Pagi is an Indonesian-influenced addition to the neighborhood, with plenty of options for vegetarians, vegans and meat-eaters alike. The restaurant quietly opened its doors in 2012 by Ben Van Leeuwen, Laura O’Neill, and Pete Van Leeuwen, the trio behind Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. The Indonesian menu is inspired by a series of trips to Bali and Laura O’Neill’s Australian background, where Indonesian food is widespread.

The stylish space features white walls, rustic light wood tabletops, a few thoughtfully placed potted plants and pink fluorescent light accents, emitting a retro-feeling cozy pink glow. The restaurant space was originally designed and built by its founders but underwent a renovation in 2016 led by the Brooklyn architecture firm Carpenter + Mason.

We moved to Greenpoint exactly three days before boarding a plane to Bali. Three weeks later, we returned back to Brooklyn jet lagged and sun kissed and wishing we could eat more of the delicious dishes we discovered while away. So, imagine our delight when we realized that Selamat Pagi, one of New York's best Indonesian restaurants, was literally one block away from our new place.

Since then, adorable Selamat Pagi has become one of our favorite neighborhood spots. We love the vine-covered exterior, the ivory-painted tin walls, the pale wood bar, the sweet service, and — of course — the super tasty Indonesian treats. We mostly visit for brunch, when we can linger over turmeric tonics and Sriracheladas (a Michelada-inspired cocktail made of rice beer and Sriracha) and soak in the relaxing vibes. It's a damn fine way to start the day. Which makes perfect sense — Selamat Pagi means "Good Morning" in Indonesian.

don't miss

Order whatever. You really can't go wrong. For brunch, we love the Nasi Goreng, a classic Indonesian dish made with fried rice, greens, a sunnyside-up egg, and tempeh or shrimp; the Spicy Beef Rendang, which is braised in coconut milk and comes with an egg and green papaya slaw; and the sticky black rice pudding with yogurt, mango and coconut. In warm weather, try to snag one of the two outdoor tables. Surrounded by bamboo and vines, you might almost forget you're just on Driggs Ave.